Ex boss trying to sabotage new job

[measureformeasure]

I have NC for this as I need to give detail that may be outing.

Was with my old company for two years when I discovered I was pregnant. I was about to take on new responsibilities and it was all going well. Once I told my boss I was pregnant all talk of promotion stopped and just as I went on mat leave a major restructuring of the company took place, meaning my job no longer existed. I was offered an assistant role instead. I declined and resigned. I know I could have put in a claim but at the time I had just found out my DS was unwell and needed hospital treatment so I was a bit all over the place.

I found a new job locally and I was excited to get started. On my second day my ex boss rang my new colleague and started saying how bad at my job I was and how lazy and incompetent I am. I don't know how he found out where I was working as I'd kept it quiet. He wanted to find out how I'd got the job and where in the company I was working. He said to her that he'd pop by to see her (but really he wanted check that I wasn't working locally to my old company as he knows I have a restriction in my old contract). I feel worried that he's going to try and make it difficult for me. He had no problem slagging my off to clients when we worked together and now he's carrying on now I've left. Any advice on what to do would be appreciated.

That is so out of order! I'd be inclined to report him to the police for harassment - surely it's slanderous if he is putting you down to new colleagues? Keep a detailed diary of any incidents and maybe warn him that you will take it to the police if there is any further contact? Then you can at least say you have specifically asked him not to contact you or anyone else regarding you, in the event of any further incidents. I would also mention it to HR at your new job. This is malicious, and probably illegal.

Presumably you didn't use him as a referee? Is that because you knew he could cause problems? (I'm not saying this as a criticism, I've been in that position myself years ago). In any case, thinking about this, which I have been doing, I think the police is your first step, considering the seriousness of this. Also, is it too late to bring a case against them? They definitely broke the law by treating you detrimentally while on maternity leave. Although I fully understand your reasons for not doing. I took my aforementioned dodgy boss to tribunal and though I won, it was a stressful time.